In a move following Senegal’s example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is set to impose sanctions on sports federations whose athletes have fled during competitions abroad in recent months. The Congolese authorities, led by Minister of Sports Banza Mukalay, have decided to restrict the international travel of athletes in various sports, including athletics, basketball, freestyle wrestling, traditional wrestling, cycling, and table tennis, for the next two years. Notably, football is narrowly exempted from these restrictions.
Minister Banza Mukalay criticizes the respective federations for their perceived failure to take effective measures to retain their athletes. The decision aims to restore the country’s image, which the authorities believe has been tarnished among foreign consulates due to the high number of athlete defections.
Despite the occurrence of four defections during the Francophonie Games in Nice, footballers are not included in the travel restrictions. However, handball players from the DRC are expected to be authorized to participate in the 2013 World Championship scheduled to take place from December 7 to 22 in Serbia.
For the next two years, athletes in the specified sports will face limitations on obtaining permission to leave the country, as the Congolese authorities aim to address and prevent further instances of athletes fleeing during international competitions. The decision comes in response to the departure of twenty-five representatives from Congo during the 2013 Francophonie Games in Nice.
